Beverage preparation machines have been known for some time, in particular coffee machines by means of extraction, presenting at least one extraction device adapted to extract a beverage from an edible substance, for example roasted and grind coffee, supplied to said extraction device in a substantially hermetic single dose package, for example in the form of rigid capsule or flexible pod. In this particular, the hermetic property of the package is an essential condition so as to ensure the conservation of the aromatic properties of said edible substance.
In this context, the prior art includes many solutions relating to perforating the hermetic envelope of said single dose package so as to enable fluid to flow across thereof, in particular the entry of pressurized hot water inside of the package. In most of the cases said perforation of the single dose package is carried out immediately before starting to inject pressurized hot water, by means of perforating means provided inside of said extraction device.
Moreover, the prior art includes solutions relating to beverage preparation machines that present means for successively supplying single dose packages to an extraction device. In this type of machine there should also be considered the issue of the actuation of said single dose packages, usually provided in a common support of a strip type or similar, so as to supply these successively to an extraction device.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,954 discloses a beverage preparation machine that presents an actuation device adapted for moving a strip carrying a plurality of single doses successively to an extraction device. Said actuation device of the strip of single doses is disposed upstream of the extraction device and presents four actuation sides adapted for successively interacting with each of said sides with a single dose of the strip of doses. In this type of solution the strip of doses is provided in non-hermetic material, for example in the form of filter paper or similar, not requiring perforation means for producing entry and/or exit passages for the extraction flow.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,213,777 presents a machine of similar type that presents a similar traction mechanism, also provided so as to circulate a strip of doses by means of traction thereof along an ascending movement, from an upstream vertical direction to a downstream horizontal direction. This type of general disposition requires a bigger actuation force of the traction mechanism given that the latter operates in the direction opposite the direction of the gravity force.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,273 discloses a method for preparation of individual doses of aromatic beverages in a machine, whereby said method comprises a plurality of steps including providing single dose packages that present an open side, closing the open side by means of sealing sheet applied in removable manner, storing said packages in a storage zone of the machine, selecting the individual packages from the storage zone, conducting the selected packages to an extraction device, and, when inside the extraction device, removing the sealing sheet and perforating the top part of the package and introducing water. In particular, said sealing sheet is removed when the package is conducted to an extraction device. Moreover, the document discloses a machine that presents an anticipated perforating disposition of exit passages in the single dose packages before the latter are supplied to the extraction device.
Document WO 2013/169134 A2 registered by the applicant of the present invention discloses a machine for preparing beverages of the same type and adapted for processing a conduction support that provides a substantially hermetic envelope to a plurality of single doses. Said machine further comprises actuation means of said conduction support adapted so as to supply said doses successively to a respective extraction device, thereby resulting in a general compact disposition where the extraction device is disposed in relative proximity underneath of the exit of storage means and actuates the conduction support from a horizontal direction upstream to a vertical direction downstream, favoring the action of gravity force.
None of the documents in the prior art discloses a solution that avoids the need for producing holes in the interior of the extraction device and that presents an anticipated opening disposition of flow passages in single dose packages, before of the supply thereof to an extraction device, with reduced complexity and high operation reliability.